Do Violent Video Games Contribute to Increased Violence in Youth Essay Example
The website "Violent Video Games- ProCon.org" (2018) reports that 60% of Americans participate in video games, with 28% of them being under 18 years old. These young gamers greatly influence the $21.53 billion U.S. gaming industry.
As per a 2018 report from "Violent Video Games- ProCon.org," the gaming industry holds responsibility for a considerable share of today's top-selling video games, particularly those with violent content. These specific games have been associated with adverse effects like school shootings and an upsurge in bullying. It is important to highlight that this debate has continued since 1976 ("Violent Video Games- ProCon.org" 2018).
The impact of violent video games on children has ignited a contentious debate as advocates argue that these games can cause desensitization, heightened bullying, and increased aggression. On the other hand, opponents claim that they offer a safe outlet for anger and aggression, potentiall
...y lowering crime rates. This raises the question of whether violent video games truly contribute to higher levels of youth violence. Various stakeholders, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), President Trump, other politicians, game industry leaders, and expert researchers hold differing opinions on this matter. The discussion surrounding this issue has been ongoing since 1976 when Death Race was released ("Violent Video Games- ProCon.org" 2018).
There was controversy surrounding a game in which players used a car to run over gremlin-like creatures, as they closely resembled real people. Certain rumors suggested that the game was called Pedestrian. However, production of these games came to an end when protesters began physically destroying them ("Violent Video Games- ProCon.org" 2018).
In 1993, Mortal Kombat's release caused public outrage due to its violent content, leadin
Congress to hold senate hearings on regulating the sale of such games. Before these hearings, Senator Lieberman and Captain Kangaroo from children's television joined forces in a press conference to condemn the violent games.
In 1994, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) was established by the video game industry in response to anticipated regulations (Fulton, 2015). The Columbine Massacre in 1999 triggered a collective agreement within society that there exists a direct correlation between violent video games and mass shootings. The individuals responsible for the shooting were identified as dedicated players of Doom, a first-person shooting game. This incident prompted an increased awareness and an endeavor to eradicate violence in video games (Disis, 2018). Senator Jeff Sessions attributed occurrences like these to the detrimental influence of movies, media, music, and violent video games. He emphasized that these games often contain extreme levels of violence which can raise blood pressure and adrenaline levels while resulting in virtual deaths for both characters and players themselves.
According to Cherkis (2013), the experience is described as highly intense. In 1995, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York presented a bill aimed at prohibiting the sale of video games rated "M" and adult-only games to minors. The reason behind this proposal was Clinton's belief that these games were contributing to a "silent epidemic of desensitization" ("Violent Video Games- ProCon.org," 2018). Unfortunately, the bill was not approved, and similar attempts at the state level were also rejected.
President Trump has suggested that changes may need to be made in the gaming industry following the Parkland, FL school shooting, to address the issue of video game violence (Phelps/abc news, 2018). Numerous studies and experiments have been
conducted to investigate whether there is a correlation between video game violence and heightened aggression in children and teenagers. In 2014, a study found that 90% of pediatricians believed violent video games could contribute to more aggressive behavior in children, with 67% of parents agreeing (ProCon.org, 2018). The American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement affirming a proven link between virtual violence and actual acts of aggression (Virtual Violence, 2016). Additionally, in 2017, the task force on violent media by the American Psychological Association stated that while there is a clear connection between violent video games and increased aggression, there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between these games and violent criminal behavior (APA, 2013).
Researchers and doctors worldwide have conducted over 130 studies and experiments involving more than 130,000 participants. They all agree that video games have a direct causal link to the escalation of aggressive behaviors in children. Brad Bushman, a psychology and communications professor at Ohio State University, emphasizes that the evidence from these studies undeniably demonstrates a clear association between video games and increased aggression in children. According to Bushman, playing video games not only results in an increase in aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, and physiological arousal (such as elevated heart rate), but also leads to a decrease in empathy towards others (Association for Psychological Science, 2011).
According to Douglas Gentile, a developmental psychologist at Iowa State University, the research supporting the connection between video games and increased aggression remains valid. He suggests that the best way to protect children is through parental involvement and establishing limits on their video game usage (Association for Psychological Science, 2011). Several studies have found that
exposure to violent video games leads to a decrease in empathy. The American Psychological Association (APA) conducted a study that found a correlation between violent media and reduced empathy as well as positive social behavior (Violent Video Games- ProCon.org, 2018). Jeanne B. Funk, a respected psychologist, along with other members from the University of Toledo's Department of Psychology, conducted a study involving 150 fourth and fifth graders to examine how violent media affects empathy and prosocial behaviors.
According to a study conducted in 2004 by Funk, Baldacci, Pasold, and Baumgardner (pp.22), video games have been linked to decreased empathy, making them the only form of media associated with this effect. The increase in mass school shootings committed by teenagers over the past two decades has been extensively discussed in an article published on USA Today online in February 2018. It reported that there have been 25 fatal school shootings in the United States since the well-known Columbine incident in 1999 (Diebel, 2018). Despite this concerning trend, psychologists, medical professionals, and leaders within the gaming industry question whether there is a definitive connection between video games and increased aggressive behavior and violence.
While many people think that video games do not contribute to real-life violence, critics contend that there is insufficient evidence to support a connection between video games and physical or psychological harm in players. Nevertheless, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has presented data indicating a correlation between the popularity of video games and crime rates. According to the ESA, sales of video games steadily rose from 1998 to 2015, while incidents of violent crimes actually decreased during this timeframe (Entertainment Software Association, 2015).
According to Christopher J.
Ferguson PhD, video games may have a positive impact on teenagers’ aggressive behaviors by providing a safe outlet to release negative emotions. In his paper, "The Hitman Study," Ferguson suggests that playing video games can help manage mood, decrease depression, and reduce hostile behaviors (Ferguson ; Rueda, 2010). Game developers and creators generally agree that there is no evidence linking video games to increased violence but rather supporting a positive outcome. Ed del Castillo, co-founder of Liquid Entertainment believes that games allow players to reduce aggression by providing a virtual outlet instead of expressing it in real life (Fisher, 2013). Critics argue that video games are not the main cause of increased aggressive behaviors and real-world violence.
Psychology professor Patrick Markey from Villanova University suggests that recent studies indicate video games have minimal influence on aggression and real-life violence (Norton, 2018). Markey argues that exposure to violent video games contributes less than 1 percent to the variability in children's aggression levels, indicating a negligible impact. Despite ongoing debates on the correlation between video game violence and real-life violent behavior, many studies and experiments have been conducted to investigate this connection. While some studies find a correlation between these games and increased aggression, there is no conclusive evidence directly linking them to actual acts of violence in reality.
Examining the data collected from numerous studies conducted in the past 20 years is crucial for gaining perspective on the debate surrounding youth violence. This process will help us become better informed and contribute to finding a solution to this issue in our society.
References
- APA. (2013, August 13). APA review confirms link between playing violent video games and aggression.
Association for Psychological Science. (2011, June 28). What's the psychological effect of violent video games on children?.
(2018, February 15). Fox News anchor Shepard Smith emotionally lists all 25 fatal school shootings since Columbine. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/02/15/fox-news-anchor-shepard-smith-emotionally-lists-all-25-fatal-school-shootings-since-columbine/340108002/
The attribution of mass violence to video games has a rich history. One reliable source for information is an article titled "The long history of blaming video games for mass violence" on CNN Money's website (https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/08/media/video-game-industry-white-house/index.html). Another valuable resource is the Entertainment Software Association's publication from 2015 called "Essential facts about games and violence," which can be accessed at http://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/EFGamesandViolence.pdf. Additionally, researcher C. Ferguson has made significant contributions to our understanding of this topic.
The Hitman Study, published in the European Psychologist journal (volume 15, issue 2, pages 99-108), was conducted by J. and Rueda, S. M. in 2010.
doi:10.1027/1016-9040/a000010
Fisher, M. (2013, April 8). Game creators are in the eye of the video-game storm. Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/game-creators-are-in-the-eye-of-the-video-game-storm/2013/04/08/16e2c976-8cd3-11e2-9838-d62f083ba93f_story.html?utm_term=.ddc0a2952f61
Fulton, W. (2015, April 16).
The article "How Mortal Kombat's violent fatalities led to video game ratings" on Digital Trends website examines how the implementation of video game ratings was influenced by the graphic fatalities in Mortal Kombat. The source for this information is a research study titled "Violence exposure in real-life, video games, television, movies, and the internet: is there desensitization?" authored by Funk, Baldacci, Pasold, and Baumgardner (2004), which was published in the Journal of Adolescence (volume 27, issue 1) on pages 23-39.
doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2003.10.005
Keim, B. (2013, February 28). What science knows about video games and violence.
Norton, A. (2018, October 1).
The text
includes a DOI reference for an article titled "What science knows about video games and violence" on adolescence by Keim in 2013, which was accessed from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/what-science-knows-about-video-games-and-violence/. Additionally, it mentions Norton's work dated October 1st, 2018.
The link https://consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-information-25/child-psychology-news-125/more-evidence-video-games-may-trigger-aggression-in-kids-738216.html contains a report from HealthDay which suggests that video games may be increasingly linked to aggression in children. Additionally, Phelps/abc news published an article on March 8, 2018, highlighting Trump's focus on the role of violent video games subsequent to the Parkland shootings.
Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-turns-spotlight-violent-video-games-wake-parkland/story?id=53593714
Additionally, information on violent video games can be found at https://videogames.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=003627.
Moreover, there is a resource available on virtual violence dated August 1, 2016.
The text retrieved from the website http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/2/e20161298 is presented below with its and contents preserved.
